Low-Light Houseplants ~ 15 Amazing Plants That Do Best in Low Light!

Low-light houseplants are a great way to enjoy foliage and flowers without having to give them direct sunlight. For healthy, vibrant growth, place these plants in bright, indirect light close to a north, east or west exposure window, or grow them in a light garden. Another advantage of low-light plants is the watering requirements. They aren’t stressed by high heat demands and therefore, transpire less and require less water. If you’ve always wanted to grow plants but weren’t quite sure if you had enough light, then try one of the low-light houseplants below to enliven your living or office space. You can't go wrong with any of these popular low-light houseplants below, many of which are customer favorites here at Logee's. Be sure to also see our full selection of shade plants for other specimens that do well in low light.

Calathea 'Stella'

This new Calathea hybrid ‘Stella’ has white and light green variegation in the dark green, elongated leaves, and the undersides of the leaves are purple. Somewhat similar in appearance to Calathea ‘White Fusion,’ ‘Stella’ has better adaptability to low-light conditions in the home, and it’s a little taller and faster growing. We recommend this colorful air-cleaning plant to brighten up a partially sunlit window.
 ⇨ Buy Calathea 'Stella'

Golden Jewel Orchid

This Golden Jewel Orchid is a beauty! The velvety deep green foliage has burgundy highlights with shimmering gold leaf veins. Vivid yellow flowers arise on tall spikes in late winter and early spring. It forms a nice large rosette about 6” across. Flower spikes grow from the rosette center and each spike has 18+ flowers. Jewel orchids need to be grown in medium to low light conditions. Plant in sphagnum moss and keep evenly moist.
⇨ Buy Golden Jewel Orchid

Chinese Money Plant

Chinese Money Plant is famous for its lore of attracting money into one’s life. Known for its charming beauty and dwarf size, it’s a perfect addition to the windowsill garden. The round, shiny, peltate leaves become mounded as the plant matures and give the appearance of large, green coins stacked on top of one another. Originating from Southwest China, it came into our collection in the 1980s and for several years remained a mystery until finally it was identified. Under cooler growing conditions, it will flower in the winter time although, as with most Pileas, the flowers are somewhat insignificant. Its adaptation to low light and succulent leaf structure make it an easy-care plant. 
⇨ Buy the Chinese Money Plant

Orange Lipstick Plant

Brilliant orange blooms are the first to arrive after a long winter and burst forth with color chasing away the winter blues. Orange Lipstick Plant will continue to flower all the way through summer providing a long season of blooms. Fleshy green leaves and cascading stems make it the perfect subject for a hanging basket. This strong grower is well adapted to moderate light and lower humidity that’s common in most home environments.
⇨ Buy the Orange Lipstick Plant

Creeping Peperomia

Also called String of Turtles, Creeping Peperomia is an easy-to-grow houseplant with small, green, rounded leaves that display purple venation on new growth that matures to white as the plant ages. Brighter light results in more intense colors. It looks great in a hanging basket where it can attractively display its cascading foliage. Creeping Peperomia is an ideal plant for a terrarium or vivarium since the small foliage has a creeping habit and it thrives in high humidity.
⇨ Buy Creeping Peperomia

Rattlesnake Calathea

One of the very best indoor ornamental houseplants, Rattlesnake Calathea has long, medium green leaves with dark decorative spots. The undersides of the leaves are deep purple. A beautiful accent plant for the home or patio, Calathea lancifolia grows to 30” tall and creates a magnificent specimen. Of all the Calatheas that we have grown, this one is the most resistant to tip-and-edge-browning, being virtually free of that cultural issue. As with others in this family, keep the soil evenly moist and grow in a well-drained potting mix.
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Streptocarpus ‘Joy’

A stunning array of color is found in the open-faced blooms of Cape Primrose ‘Joy.’ With pale yellow lower petals edged in deeper tones, the magenta upper petals vary from flower to flower with some carrying rich purple shades and others with deep pink. It’s one of those flowers that surprises the gardener as it opens. Like other Cape Primroses, the blooms rise above the large, velvety foliage and it flowers intermittently throughout the year. 
⇨ Buy Streptocarpus ‘Joy’

Neon Pothos

Pothos have long been considered one of the best indestructible houseplants because of their ability to survive in low-light conditions. Neon Pothos has heart-shaped, bright chartreuse juvenile leaves when grown in full sun. The older leaves are darker green, and they grow profusely on the vine. The foliage will naturally trail, but given a vertical support, it will climb up endlessly. Graceful and timeless, Neon Pothos is a wonderful plant for beginners or simply a great option to add a touch of green life to any empty space with less than ideal light.
⇨ Buy Neon Pothos

Anthurium magnificum

Anthurium magnificum is an incredible aroid whose leaves can become quite massive when fully mature. The leaves look leathery with age and exude a lush dark green color with contrasting bright white veining. This tropical plant is native to the rainforests of Columbia, so it grows best in warm 65-85°F temperatures with high humidity levels. Anthurium magnificum acts as an air purifier to clean toxins from the indoor air, and it’s an impressive plant that creates a showpiece for the home or garden.
⇨ Buy Anthurium magnificum

Eyelash Fern

This slow growing fern makes an attractive houseplant since it stays compact in size, only reaching 6-8” tall. The fan-shaped leaves look like mini palm fronds or human eyelashes. Eyelash Fern prefers warm temperatures and high humidity so it can be grown in a terrarium or container placed in indirect light in a north or east window.
⇨ Buy Eyelash Fern

Velvet Leaf Philodendron

Velvet Leaf Philodendron possesses a simple unassuming beauty in the velvety, iridescent foliage, and it makes an easy-care specimen for your houseplant collection. The heart-shaped leaves exhibit a range of colors from bronze to light and dark green, and there are pink and purple highlights on the new growth. This colorful philodendron performs well in bright filtered light or even low light conditions. If the vines get too long, just prune them back to your desired length and the cuttings can be rooted in water or perlite to create another plant for yourself or a gardening friend.
⇨ Buy Velvet Leaf Philodendron

Syngonium ‘Mojito’

Syngonium ‘Mojito’ is a rare and unusual foliage plant that has arrow-shaped leaves and dappled white and green variegation. Like other syngoniums, it’s a fast-growing vine and should be grown in bright indirect sunlight. Keep evenly moist and grow in a pot with a trellis as the best way to display the magnificent leaves.
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Monstera adansonii

With its popularity growing exceptionally fast, we are happy to offer the Swiss Cheese Plant, also called Monstera adansonii. This is a very easy-to-grow houseplant with exotic, eye-catching foliage. Each mature leaf displays multiple oval holes, called fenestrations. These holes are theorized to allow sun and water through to the lower leaves in tropical environments and help the leaves stand up to forceful wind. Swiss Cheese Plant is meant to climb and when given a trellis or pole, it will reward you with larger leaves as the plant grows taller. Alternatively, when not climbing, the plant reverts to a more vine-like growth, sending out thin branches that look beautiful cascading from a hanging basket or draping over tables and windowsills. This plant prefers a fast draining soil mix, bright, indirect light and plenty of humidity.
⇨ Buy Monstera adansonii

Begonia ferox

One of the most dramatic leaves in the world of begonias, Begonia ferox is a highly sought after rare plant. It has spiky raised cones on the leaves, known as bullae, that are not sharp to the touch. The bullae develop as the leaves mature. Originally from the rainforest understory in the limestone regions of China, it closely resembles B. melanobullata. Begonia ferox thrives in high humidity and adapts well to terrarium life.
⇨ Buy Begonia ferox

Hoya ‘Iris Marie’

This vigorous and easy-to-grow hybrid has lightly fragrant blooms which appear on and off throughout the year. The starry white blossoms with purple centers arise from loose clusters on the rambling vines. Plants need to mature and climb a bit before flowering begins. As with most hoyas grow in partial sun and enjoy the green waxy leaves that fill the growing space in no time.
⇨ Buy Hoya ‘Iris Marie’

Caring for Low-Light Houseplants - Summary

There are many colorful and easy-care indoor plants that thrive that thrive in low-to-medium light conditions, making them ideal for most homes. While all plants need light to live, the ones mentioned here are among the most adaptable to low-light conditions and can grow easily with little direct sunlight. This means you can put these houseplants in almost any room of your home. In rooms with where there is indirect light from windows, be sure to rotate your plants every few weeks so all sides receive their fair share of sun. Some will do better in certain areas or rooms than others, so try moving them around if you have difficulty getting your low-light houseplants to thrive.